Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

McKenzie County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 53 counties in 2019, at $1,581. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $522. The median was $859 and the figure for North Dakota was $1,040. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest1,581McKenzie County
Median85953 counties
North Dakota1,040History

Map of counties, 2019

Adams County: 805 USDBarnes County: 774 USDBenson County: 787 USDBillings County: 812 USDBottineau County: 882 USDBowman County: 932 USDBurke County: 1,087 USDBurleigh County: 1,011 USDCass County: 1,008 USDCavalier County: 821 USDDickey County: 734 USDDivide County: 1,020 USDDunn County: 1,427 USDEddy County: 645 USDEmmons County: 715 USDFoster County: 880 USDGolden Valley County: 709 USDGrand Forks County: 919 USDGrant County: 691 USDGriggs County: 734 USDHettinger County: 859 USDKidder County: 738 USDLaMoure County: 757 USDLogan County: 611 USDMcHenry County: 919 USDMcIntosh County: 720 USDMcKenzie County: 1,581 USDMcLean County: 1,159 USDMercer County: 1,374 USDMorton County: 920 USDMountrail County: 1,333 USDNelson County: 683 USDOliver County: 1,505 USDPembina County: 904 USDPierce County: 816 USDRamsey County: 790 USDRansom County: 723 USDRenville County: 761 USDRichland County: 811 USDRolette County: 783 USDSargent County: 873 USDSheridan County: 522 USDSioux County: 860 USDSlope County: 1,306 USDStark County: 1,232 USDSteele County: 1,006 USDStutsman County: 860 USDTowner County: 783 USDTraill County: 868 USDWalsh County: 809 USDWard County: 988 USDWells County: 732 USDWilliams County: 1,542 USD
  • Under 730
  • 730 to 780
  • 780 to 860
  • 860 to 920
  • 920 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD, 2019. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2019

McKenzie County: 1,581 USDMcKenzie County1,581Williams County: 1,542 USDWilliams County1,542Oliver County: 1,505 USDOliver County1,505Dunn County: 1,427 USDDunn County1,427Mercer County: 1,374 USDMercer County1,374Mountrail County: 1,333 USDMountrail County1,333Slope County: 1,306 USDSlope County1,306Stark County: 1,232 USDStark County1,232McLean County: 1,159 USDMcLean County1,159Burke County: 1,087 USDBurke County1,087Divide County: 1,020 USDDivide County1,020Burleigh County: 1,011 USDBurleigh County1,011Cass County: 1,008 USDCass County1,008Steele County: 1,006 USDSteele County1,006Ward County: 988 USDWard County988Bowman County: 932 USDBowman County932Morton County: 920 USDMorton County920Grand Forks County: 919 USDGrand Forks County919McHenry County: 919 USDMcHenry County919Pembina County: 904 USDPembina County904Bottineau County: 882 USDBottineau County882Foster County: 880 USDFoster County880Sargent County: 873 USDSargent County873Traill County: 868 USDTraill County868Sioux County: 860 USDSioux County860Stutsman County: 860 USDStutsman County860Hettinger County: 859 USDHettinger County859Cavalier County: 821 USDCavalier County821Pierce County: 816 USDPierce County816Billings County: 812 USDBillings County812Richland County: 811 USDRichland County811Walsh County: 809 USDWalsh County809Adams County: 805 USDAdams County805Ramsey County: 790 USDRamsey County790Benson County: 787 USDBenson County787Rolette County: 783 USDRolette County783Towner County: 783 USDTowner County783Barnes County: 774 USDBarnes County774Renville County: 761 USDRenville County761LaMoure County: 757 USDLaMoure County757Kidder County: 738 USDKidder County738Dickey County: 734 USDDickey County734Griggs County: 734 USDGriggs County734Wells County: 732 USDWells County732Ransom County: 723 USDRansom County723McIntosh County: 720 USDMcIntosh County720Emmons County: 715 USDEmmons County715Golden Valley County: 709 USDGolden Valley County709Grant County: 691 USDGrant County691Nelson County: 683 USDNelson County683Eddy County: 645 USDEddy County645Logan County: 611 USDLogan County611Sheridan County: 522 USDSheridan County522McKenzie County: 1,581 USDMcKenzie County1,581Williams County: 1,542 USDWilliams County1,542Oliver County: 1,505 USDOliver County1,505Dunn County: 1,427 USDDunn County1,427Mercer County: 1,374 USDMercer County1,374Mountrail County: 1,333 USDMountrail County1,333Slope County: 1,306 USDSlope County1,306Stark County: 1,232 USDStark County1,232McLean County: 1,159 USDMcLean County1,159Burke County: 1,087 USDBurke County1,087Divide County: 1,020 USDDivide County1,020Burleigh County: 1,011 USDBurleigh County1,011Cass County: 1,008 USDCass County1,008Steele County: 1,006 USDSteele County1,006Ward County: 988 USDWard County988Bowman County: 932 USDBowman County932Morton County: 920 USDMorton County920Grand Forks County: 919 USDGrand Forks County919McHenry County: 919 USDMcHenry County919Pembina County: 904 USDPembina County904Bottineau County: 882 USDBottineau County882Foster County: 880 USDFoster County880Sargent County: 873 USDSargent County873Traill County: 868 USDTraill County868Sioux County: 860 USDSioux County860Stutsman County: 860 USDStutsman County860Hettinger County: 859 USDHettinger County859Cavalier County: 821 USDCavalier County821Pierce County: 816 USDPierce County816Billings County: 812 USDBillings County812Richland County: 811 USDRichland County811Walsh County: 809 USDWalsh County809Adams County: 805 USDAdams County805Ramsey County: 790 USDRamsey County790Benson County: 787 USDBenson County787Rolette County: 783 USDRolette County783Towner County: 783 USDTowner County783Barnes County: 774 USDBarnes County774Renville County: 761 USDRenville County761LaMoure County: 757 USDLaMoure County757Kidder County: 738 USDKidder County738Dickey County: 734 USDDickey County734Griggs County: 734 USDGriggs County734Wells County: 732 USDWells County732Ransom County: 723 USDRansom County723McIntosh County: 720 USDMcIntosh County720Emmons County: 715 USDEmmons County715Golden Valley County: 709 USDGolden Valley County709Grant County: 691 USDGrant County691Nelson County: 683 USDNelson County683Eddy County: 645 USDEddy County645Logan County: 611 USDLogan County611Sheridan County: 522 USDSheridan County522
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019
USD
Change on 2018
1McKenzie County1,581+8.1%
2Williams County1,542+1%
3Oliver County1,505+3.7%
4Dunn County1,427+1.4%
5Mercer County1,374+1.7%
6Mountrail County1,333+3.5%
7Slope County1,306+8.4%
8Stark County1,232+3.4%
9McLean County1,159+4.3%
10Burke County1,087+3.9%
11Divide County1,0200%
12Burleigh County1,011+1.6%
13Cass County1,008+3.3%
14Steele County1,006+4.9%
15Ward County988+3%
16Bowman County932+13.7%
17Morton County920+4.5%
18Grand Forks County919+3.5%
18McHenry County919+7.1%
20Pembina County904+2%
21Bottineau County882+5%
22Foster County880+3%
23Sargent County873+1.4%
24Traill County868+2.7%
25Sioux County860+2.9%
25Stutsman County860+2.5%
27Hettinger County859+1.1%
28Cavalier County821-1.4%
29Pierce County816-0.1%
30Billings County812-2.9%
31Richland County811+0.9%
32Walsh County809+4.3%
33Adams County805-2.5%
34Ramsey County790+3.1%
35Benson County787+4.7%
36Rolette County783+2%
36Towner County783+3.3%
38Barnes County774+1.6%
39Renville County761-0.7%
40LaMoure County757+2.3%
41Kidder County738+5.7%
42Dickey County734+3.5%
42Griggs County734+2.2%
44Wells County732+6.6%
45Ransom County723+1%
46McIntosh County720+4.7%
47Emmons County715+2.1%
48Golden Valley County709+2.6%
49Grant County691+3.1%
50Nelson County683+2.2%
51Eddy County645+1.9%
52Logan County611+4.6%
53Sheridan County522+1.4%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_2019,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2019. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2019.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

McKenzie County, with $1,581 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Sheridan County, with $522 in 2019.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in North Dakota: more rankings